Taboo?

[Tetedelacourse]

Well here we are on the eve of Le Grande Boucle once again, and as I look down the list of riders I'm filled with excitement, as usual. Another really open race awaits, but...

Can we expect a scandal*-free race?

I'd like to say yes, as the season so far has been a marked improvement on recent years, plus ASO's seeming zero tolerance approach (e.g. Boonen). But, having been a fan of the sport for the last 10 years, I can't quite convince myself that we'll see a completely clean race.

What's yer thoughts?

Reason for subject title is it doesn't seem appropriate to bring this up on the eve of the race!

*as opposed to drug (see Rasmussen, '07)

 

[mickle]

Count me amongst the millions of fans who've given up on it.

 

[Keith Oates]

I sincerely hope that it will be drug free and there are no positive tests for anybody. Just a thought, but as ASO now control the race and the testing combined with the newspaper that normally blows the whistle do you think any positive , if found, will be reported!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Tetedelacourse]

Ha! Keith that thought had crossed my mind and I honestly wondered whether you'd be thinking along those lines when I typed my original post! On the basis that if it's a drug-free race then you might have to acknowledge that ASO were right to take the stance they did!!!

 

[Keith Oates]

It's unlikely I'd ever do that Tete!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[rich p]

I'm more confident that more riders are clean but that's as far as it goes.

I still love the event though. I'm not in anyway condoning it but it's still an awesome challenge even if some are 'helped'

 

[ComedyPilot]

As much as I hate cheats and druggies, to just ride the miles let alone do them at speed, and then win stages or the race takes a huge amount of fitness and years of training. Unfortunately some people take short cuts and discredit the sport. A few bad apples make a bad fruit bowl, and boy does the media love a scandal. I would love to see the same amount of drug testing at football. Lets see some of the primadonnas stripped of their jobs for cheating.

 

[Dave5N]

Spain will win it.

After O. Puerto, Valverde suddenly had bad form. Now he has sudden good form, as has the football team and Nadal, etc.

They certainly seem to have some strength and stamina.

Must have worked hard for that extra oxygen capacity.

 

[Smokin Joe]

I think we have a good chance of a positive-free Tour this year, the tide does seem to be on the turn. There is always the risk that someone will think he can beat the system, though.

 

[Dave5N]

I nthink it is too ingrained. |'m curious too about Valv.piti's pattern of performance.

 

[mondobongo]

Prudhomme was a liitle bit evasive in that interview with Gary Imlach on the Tour preview programme.

I hope there is no scandal but I know there will be some its still too early in the new chapter.